The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 and the U.S. Department of Energy are honoring two Iowa Energy Star partners for their outstanding leadership in reducing energy bills and tackling climate change. Des Moines Public Schools and Principal Real Estate Investors in Des Moines are among about 150 organizations nationally named 2021 Partners of the Year for Sustained Excellence. This is the eighth consecutive year that Des Moines Public Schools has received the award. The district has benchmarked more than 6 million feet of building space and documented more than $20.2 million in energy savings since 2008. Principal Real Estate Investors, recognized for a fourth straight year, continued its corporate commitment to energy conservation by benchmarking 252 buildings in Energy Star Portfolio Manager and achieved Energy Star certification in 28 buildings in 2020.